Trim your hedges and mow your lawns because a group of green-fingered gardening inspectors are coming to Finchley.

Tired of seeing homeowners paving over their front gardens, The Finchley Society has launched its very own Finchley in Bloom competition to encourage people to love their potted plants and hanging baskets.

Mike Gee, chairman of the society’s environment and transport committee, told the Times Series: “I grew up here, walking to school passing rose bushes and people clipping hedges - now we’ve seen a shift from green to grey.

“We recently carried out a survey of 3,000 houses which showed a staggering 65 per cent of front gardens had been replaced by concrete or block paving.

“We became worried that front gardens would become an antiquity, something of the past, and so we decided to do something about it and launch this competition.”

Anyone in Finchley or Friern Barnet who has a front garden, no matter how large or small, can take part.

Prizes will include garden vouchers for £100, £50 and £25, with an extra £50 to be awarded for the best environmental or wildlife garden.

Mr Gee added: “We want people to be proud of their front gardens and to enjoy them, and for others to enjoy them.

“We want to see hedges, trees, shrubs and flowers lining the streets. It’s really about reconnecting people back to nature.”